Quote Originally Posted by p4pking View Post
Depends really how you define skills... If you are simply talking learned tactics such as the array of punches, defensive stance, slips, rolls, feints, ring tactics, footwork, etc.. Then you could say James Toney still has far more skills than any other HW out therre.. It's not really that his skills are diminished, he still knows what to do, he's just slower, less conditioned, his reflexes have gone. I really have a hard time seeing things like that as skills, and not attributes. Then again by this rationale you could put any number of ancient fighters ahead of the champions of today.. I expect Larry Holmes is still far more skilled than Wlad, or Chagaev, by my thinking. I just see a fighter being shot, as no longer able to apply his skills, not neccesarily not having them.
You have a good point, I guess it depends how you look at it. I meant skills at this moment. For example Tyson lost his skills but he was a skilled fighter. His skills, as are most fighters, start from the mind and sent the signal of what to do to the body. If you skills are no longer in your mind and you slip mentally you body is fighting off of instinct more than skills, imo. Im not even sure if that makes sence though. Sh@t I need an excedrin